When I was living in the  North Carolina mountains, and my quilting friends and I were in need of a little “uptown infusion,” we hopped in the car for the scenic, 90-mile journey to Asheville. Although small by some reckoning (population approximately 85,000), this historic and architecturally rich little city, nestled in the lovely French Broad River valley, is also amazingly artist friendly, abounding in galleries, studios, and other inspiring destinations. The Biltmore Est